Iowa ballot counter stands by claim that his precinct gave Romney 20 extra votes

Edward L. True says he has never experienced this much press attention in his life.

"Ed! There's a reporter on the phone!" True's mother said when Yahoo News called to speak with True this weekend.

After filing an affidavit Thursday claiming the state Republican party misreported his Iowa precinct's vote totals-- potentially shifting the overall statewide winner from Mitt Romney to Rick Santorum--True, 28, said he has received media calls from around the country. But he still has yet to hear directly from those involved in the potential controversy.

"I've heard nothing from the Republican party in Iowa," True said.

In a statement last week, the state party said there's no reason to believe True's claim could tip the balance, but True says he doesn't understand how they can say that with certainty. "How can you say it doesn't [change anything]?" True asked. "It may not change the delegates but it changes the outcome."

The Appanoose County GOP chair is sticking by True's claim, according to what he told the Des Moines Register: "I'm not disputing what Ed True said."

For now, True is the only ballot-counter at his precinct to publicly challenge the state-reported unofficial results for his location. He said there were two other ballot-counters present but he hasn't compared his totals to theirs.

Asked if the situation has soured him on politics, True said the opposite. I'm "more inclined to participate" in the political process after this experience, he said. "It was definitely an experience."

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